(BEDFORD) - Southern Indiana Development Commission held a public meeting before the Lawrence County Commissioners meeting Tuesday morning to again seek a grant to demolish the old Huron School.

The old Huron School has become an eyesore for that community.

"The building is not safe," says Commissioner Rodney Fish. "We are trying to get rid of rural blight and this is an excellent place to start."

The county was turned down for the grant last fall due to lack of funding.

The $230,000 grant, funded by the Office of Community Rural Affairs, would be used to demolish the building and restore the property to a green space. The county will have to pay $27,500 of the total cost, which will be paid for with river boat funds. Engineers estimate the cost of the project at $257,500.

In other business:

Highway Superintendent David Holmes reported crews are busy cutting brush and cold patching, waiting on the asphalt plants to open.

On April 10th the Indiana Department of Transportation will be mill and resurfacing and striping Washboard Road to the Monroe County line. Flaggers will be in place to direct traffic.

Crews also replaced a culvert on Valley Mission Road after it collapsed.

Work continues on Bridge 25, the Brent E. Steele Bridge, located on Leatherwood Road near Otis Park. Holmes says crews will pour the deck sometime next week. The contract with Duncan Robinson states the bridge must be finished by May 23.

The commissioners also signed a contract to inspections on the county's bridges.

And Holmes informed the commissioners that he is seeking approximately $1 million in grant funds for projects to be completed in 2018.

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Emergency Management Director Valerie Luchauer says that she continues to work on the county's disaster plans for animals. She has meet with officials with the health department and farm resources to discuss strategy to handle situations like the spread of Avian influenza or bird flu.

In January 2016, an outbreak of the virus was reported in a commercial turkey flock in Dubois County. It was subsequently detected in eight turkey flocks. No transmission of the virus to humans was reported.

Just this week, three commercial poultry breeding operations in Tennessee have tested positive for avian flu.

"It is moving from Tennessee and we are watching this closely," she added. "It was devastating when it hit Dubois County."

In other issues, the county will hold a hostage situation at the Lawrence County Courthouse on the afternoon on May 17th.

She is also seeking quotes on backup batteries for the emergency message boards for the courthouse and courthouse plaza.

"If the power goes out the system will not work," she added. "For 10 backup battery systems it will cost $595 or $28 each."

Luchauer says she is seeking quotes for replacement guide wires for the communication tower on Kings Ridge Road.
The tower, built in 1961, is 320-feet tall and has 36 guide wires securing it to the ground and the aging guide wires need replaced.

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On Tuesday there were 143 inmates in the Lawrence County Jail. Of those 111 were male, 32 were females and 14 were Level 6 felons.

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At the end of the commissioners meeting, the commissioners held a moment of silence in memory of Jason Bailey, who was killed in a traffic accident on Friday. Bailey was a Transfer Station Operator for Lawrence County Solid Waste Management District.